Washington ESTEE, James Borden 1st Biography of James Borden ESTEE Encyclopedia Vermont Biography: A Series of Authentic Biographical Sketches of the Representative Men of Vermont and Sons of Vermont in Other States. Dodge. Burlington: Ullery Publishing Company, 1912, p 183 James Borden ESTEE, insurance, was born 08 February 1856 at Milton [Rock County], Wisconsin, son of Henry and Lucretia S. (GREEN) ESTEE. Educated in Illinois public schools; graduated from the City and County Normal School of Peoria [Peoria County], Illinois, in 1875, and from the State Normal University at Bloomington [McLean County], Illinois, in 1881. Received special instruction in language, literature and science, and also in medicine and law. Was superintendent of schools at Edgerton [Rock County], Wisconsin; and at Harvard and Woodstock, Illinois [both in McHenry County], closing that line of work in the latter place in June 1882. Began insurance work as agent for Equitable Life Assurance Society, 20 June 1882; engaged in real estate and investment securities; was president of Citizens Bank, Woonsocket [Sanborn County], South Dakota; became superintendent of agencies of the Iowa Life Insurance Company, 15 June 1888, continuing until 01 September 1891; general manager in Wisconsin for National Life Insurance Company of Vermont, 1891 to 1911; director of the company, 1901 to 1911; member of the executive and finance committee, 1902 to 1911; second vice president 1902 to 1911, which executive charge of the company's agency force throughout the U. S. Republican; U. S. court commissioner for the Second judicial district of South Dakota; member South Dakota state central committee; clerk of the district court, Sanborn County; superintendent of census returns for Sanborn and Jerauld Counties, South Dakota; elected Mayor of Montpelier [Washington County, Vermont], 05 March 1912. A Scottish Rite and York Rite Mason, and member of the Mystic Shrine; member Vermont Historical Society, Montpelier Historical Society, Montpelier Board of Trade, Apollo Club, The Club, Montpelier Country Club, National Geographic Society, Connecticut Society, Founders and Patriots of American, and others. In 1883 Mr. [James Borden] ESTEE married [Miss?] Adelaide GILLAN of Colfax [McLean County], Illinois; they have four children: Rush G.; Wanda Elizabeth (Mrs. Edward Hyde PRESBREY of New York); Loraine Borden; and Marjorie Eloise. 2nd Biography of James Borden ESTEE Men of progress, Wisconsin: a Selected List of Biographical Sketches and Portraits of the Leaders in Business, Professional and Official Life Together with Short Notes on the History and Character of Wisconsin. Aikens & Proctor. Milwaukee: Evening Wisconsin Co., 1897, pp 180-182 (portrait p 181) James Borden ESTEE, manager for Wisconsin of the National Life Insurance Company of Montpelier [Washington County], Vermont, was born in Milton, Rock County, Wisconsin, 08 February 1856. His father is a farmer in comfortable circumstances. Of deep religious convictions, the bent of his mind has been toward the religious and educational improvement of his community. He has gained public confidence and respect for his integrity and unselfish devotion to the public good. The maiden name of Mr. [James Borden] ESTEE's mother was Lucretia S. GREEN, a woman of strong, practical sense, deeply attached to her children, and taking great pride in the family standing. She was ingenious, inventive, and had ability and desire to accumulate property. The paternal grandfather, Azor ESTEE, was a Baptist clergyman, well known in New Jersey and eastern New York. The maternal grandfather, Winter GREEN, was a prosperous farmer at Berlin [Rensselaer County], New York. The GREENs trace their lineage back to colonial days. When James B. ESTEE was but two years of age, his parents removed from Milton [Rock County, Wisconsin] to a farm north of Peoria [Peoria County], Illinois. Here his youth was spent; attended the district school; he remembers little except its inefficiency. His schooling was supplemented and greatly aided by instruction from his father, which was given early and late, and oftentimes when the latter was engaged in his daily labors, and the boy was seated conveniently near. He had great aptitude for study, and his father an inclination to encourage and direct it. Not being able to send his boy away to school, Mr. ESTEE told his son, when sixteen years of age, that he would give him this time provided he would earn money and pay his way at school. This offer was accepted; and, having earned something during the summer, he entered the Peoria Normal School in September 1872, and graduated in June 1875. Immediately after his graduation he attended a summer school of science, conducted by Professor WOOD the botanist, and a number of other distinguished scientists. From 1875 to 1880 he was engaged in teaching, and at the same time pursued a wide and varied range of reading and study, history and science being his favorite topics. During the summers of these years he attended teacher's institutes and summer schools, thus adding much to his store of knowledge and to his equipment for teaching. At this time he began the study of medicine under the direction of Dr. William BORDEN of Milton [Rock County], Wisconsin, a cousin of his mother, and was thus qualified to enter Rush Medical College. In 1880 he attended one term at the normal school in Valparaiso, Indiana. In the fall of that year he entered the Normal University, Illinois, and by hard study completed the course in one year, receiving a diploma in May 1881. While in this institution he carried off the prize for oratory, and was chosen to represent the school in the state oratorical contest. During the summer of 1881 he received private instruction in Latin from Professor Edmund J. JAMES, now of the Chicago University. During the two following years he pursued a course of private study; and in the fall and winter of 1883-84 he read law, in connection with his regular business, in the office of Chapin, Dey & Friend, in Milwaukee. In following this rapid sketch of the career of an ambitions student, one cannot refrain from the reflection that while the business of insurance has gained an accomplished agent in Mr. ESTEE, scholarship and the classroom have suffered a serious loss. His scholarly tastes, however, have not been lost in the rush of business, but the continues, as time and opportunity offer, to make excursion into the varied fields of literature, and to gather of their choicest fruits. Mr. Estee came to Wisconsin in the late summer of 1878 to assume the principalship of the public schools of Edgerton [Rock County]. At the end of the year he returned to Illinois, where he remained four years engaged in study and teaching. Coming again to Wisconsin, he was in business in Milwaukee for a year, and then went to [South] Dakota, where he was engaged in banking and had other interests for three years. Returning to Milwaukee in 1887, he has since made it his home, and been steadily identified with its material interests. Mr. ESTEE began when a boy to earn money for his own individual expenses and for his schooling, his first efforts being in trapping and raising chickens, and then in teaching, in all of which he was a pronounced success. His first salary as teacher was $40 a month, and from this it increased to $115; and he received, in addition, may testimonials from school officials as to the excellence of his work. As evidence of his scholarship, he passed the examination for state teacher's certificate, both in Wisconsin and Illinois, being one of three successful candidates out of fifty in the former state, and one of seven successful out of seventy in the latter. He has been connected, as agent, with the Equitable Life Insurance company, the Iowa Life, and is now general manager for Wisconsin of the National Life of Montpelier [Washington County], Vermont. In these positions he has had the commendation of the companies for the ability and integrity with which he has represented them. Mr. ESTEE is a Republican, and during his residence in [South] Dakota he was actively engaged in political affairs. He was a delegate in every state convention, and every convention of his county during his three year's residence in the territory. He was also a member of the state central committee and chairman of his county committee. He was clerk of the district court of Sanborn County, and U. S. court commissioner for the 2nd judicial district of Dakota. He was also appointed superintendent of census returns for Sanborn and Jerauld Counties. Since leaving [South] Dakota he has retired from active participation in politics, and devoted himself assiduously to business. He is a prominent Mason, being a member of Lafayette Lodge No. 265, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is a trustee; Calumet Chapter No. 73, WI Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar, Wisconsin Consistory and Tripoli Temple. He is also a member of the Calumet Club and of the Wisconsin Life Underwriter's Association, of which he was three times elected secretary, and is now president, and has three times represented it in the National association. He was a member of the Baptist church when a boy, but has not been a regular attendant in recent years. He was married 16 Aug 1883 to Miss Addie GILLAN of Colfax [McLean County], Illinois, and they have three children: (1) Rush G.; (2) Wanda Elizabeth [who became Mrs. E. H. PRESBREY of New York]; and (3) Loraine. [Loraine was born 19 November 1896 in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Another daughter, (4) Marjorie Eloise, was born to James B. and Adelaide (GILLAN) ESTEE on 21 September 1901, also in Milwaukee County. James B. ESTEE is listed as a traveling agent, residing at 371 Jackson in the 1889 Milwaukee directory, and as James B. ESTEE, insurance, 152 Fifteenth, in the 1890 directory for Milwaukee. Bracketed material added by submitter, who is not researching this surname, to support and clarify information given in the biography and to raise questions.] Submitted by Cathy Kubly